Value selection setting means

ABSTRACT

A VALUE SELECTION MECHANISM INCLUDING ORDINALLY ARRANGED DIFFERENTIALLY SETTABLE LEVERS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON A COMMON AXIS. EACH LEVER IS ADJUSTABLE IN A VARIABLE ARC TO SELECTIVE POSITIONS REPRESENTATIVE OF VALUES &#34;1&#34; TO &#34;9&#34; AND &#34;0.&#34; UPON ADJUSTMENT OF EACH LEVER, A CORRESPONDING CHECK DIAL AND TYPE WHEEL ARE LIKEWISE ADJUSTED TO REPRESENT THE SELECTED VLUE. AT THE SAME TIME, A CORRESPONDING GEAR MEANS IS ADJUSTED TO EFFECT A REGISTRATION OF THE SELECTED VALUE IN ONE OR MORE REGISTERS. AS EACH LEVER IS ROCKED ABOUT ITS AXIS, THE MANIPULABLE END OR EXPOSED PORTION OF EACH LEVER MOVES IN A STRAIGHT OR PLANAR PATH FROM ONE EXTREME ANGULAR POSITION OF THE LEVER TO THE OTHER.

May 23, 1972 H. F. NOLLER VALUE SELECTION SETTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1971 INVENTORS NO LL E R HARRY F.

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United States Patent O US. Cl. 235-101 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A value selection mechanism including ordinally arranged differentially settable levers pivotally supported on a common axis. Each lever is adjustable in a variable are to selective positions representative of values 1 to 9 and 0. Upon adjustment of each lever, a corresponding check dial and type wheel are likewise adjusted to represent the selected value. At the same time, a corresponding gear means is adjusted to effect a registration of the selected value in one or more registers. As each lever is rocked about its axis, the manipulable end or exposed portion of each lever moves in a straight or planar path from one extreme angular position of the lever to the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to postage meters and more particularly to a value selection mechanism wherein a value is entered to be printed as a part of a postage indicium while being substracted from a prepaid postage register. The entry of the value is under the control of ordinally arranged rockable levers selectively settable to represent each value.

Description of prior art In prior art devices, which utilize selectively settable levers for the entry of values to be printed and to be entered into one or more registers, a manipulable end portion of each lever is moved in an arcuate path in the cover of the device. In an effort to acquire a more appealing machine design, the cover must 'be for-med to conform with the arcuate path of the exposed ends of the levers, as shown in Pat. No. 2,657,593, issued to F. I. Rouan et al. In the past, machines having a flat cover surface, were either provided with the unattractive arcuate bulge conforming to the movement of the levers or, as the levers were moved from one extreme position to the other, the exposed end portion of the levers moved progressively upwardly to midposition relative to the flat surface of the cover.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved value selection mechanism Wherein the manipulalble end portion of the rockable value setting levers move in a planar path.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved value selection mechanism having ordinally arranged levers which are selectively rocked angularly to each of a plurality of value representative positions while the manipula'ble end portion of the levers is moved in a chordal path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION More specifically, a value selection lever is rockably supported by means of a slot therein engaging a shaft for endwise movement of said lever radially of said shaft. A detent means is provided for the lever having a notch for each value representative position of said lever. The notches of the detent means are disposed transversely of the shaft and on a plane perpendicular to a Patented May 23, 1972 line radially of said shaft. A roller is carried by the lever, adapted for engagement selectively in each of the notches in the detent means. A resilient means serves to bias the roller into engagement with the notches whereby the roller is moved in a planar path, as the lever is rocked about the shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the postage meter, showing the value selection mechanisms; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the postage meter showing the ordinal arrangement of the selection mechanism, the view being taken beneath the cover on the plane indicated by lines 22 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In metered mailing machines, postage indicium is adapted to be imprinted on letters in accordance with selected values. Also, the value imprinted is accumulated in an ascending register and is subtracted from the amount of prepaid postage in a descending register. At the same time a selected value may be indicated on an indicator dial.

In a preferred embodiment, the postage meter includes a pair of spaced parallel frame members 10 and 11 (FIG. 2) secured on a base member 12. An indicia die plate 15 (FIG. 1) is supported in a transverse frame plate 16 secured at its respective ends to side frame members 10 and 11. Within the indicia die plate 15 are four value type wheels 17, 18, 19 and 20, adjustable selectively for a postage value which is imprinted with each impression of the indicium. The units of cents type wheel 1-7, tens of cents type wheel 18, the unit dollar type wheel 19 and tens of dollars type wheel 20 are mounted for rotation on a shaft 21, secured at its ends in parallel bosses 22 and 23 integrally formed on plate 16.

An envelope to be postmarked is placed upon the table 24 and platen 25. A machine cycle of operation is then effected and the platen 25 raises the envelope into printing contact with the indicia die plate 15. The platen and its controls are not considered to be a part of the present invention and, therefore, are not fully described herein. However, the operation of the platen 25 is controlled in a well-known manner, as disclosed in the commonly assigned application Ser. No. 831,327, now Pat. No. 3,601,047 filed by Helmut K. Wai bel, June 9, 1969.

Upon selective adjustment of one or more of the type wheels 17, 18, 19 and/or 20, means are likewise settable in a corresponding ordinal position in a meter to enable the registration of the value in at least one register (not shown). The registration of a value is effected in a conventional manner as fully described in Pat. No. 3,526,358, issued to J. F. Reus et al., Sept. 1, 1970.

Inasmuch as the control of a value registration forms no part of the present invention, it will be only briefly described herein with reference to the units of cents order shown in FIG. 1. A selection gear 30 is slidably and nonrotatably mounted on a square shaft 31, suitably journalled in the framework of the machine and is adapted, upon angular incremental rotation thereof, to effect the entry of a value in a register. In order to control the angular rotation of the shaft 31, selection gear 30 is adjusted difierentially relative to a stepped-toothed drum 32, secured on a shaft 33 suitably journalled in the machine framework, the drum 32 being driven for one complete revolution with each machine cycle of operation.

The angular adjustment of the type wheels 17, 18, 19 and 20 to represent a postage value and the differential adjustment of the ordinally arranged selection gears 30 for the registration of the value, are under the control of a corresponding one of four value selection levers 34. Each lever 34 is pivotally supported at its lower end on a shaft 35, an open-end slot 36 therein engaging in an annular groove 37 in the shaft to permit an endwise as well as a rocking movement of the lever. Also, each lever 34 extends radially outwardly of the shaft 35 with its free-' end portion disposed in an elongated slot, such as slot 38, in a cover 39. At its outer extremity, each lever 34 is provided with a keytop 40, secured thereon to enable a manipulation of the selection lever 34. Shaft 35 is supported at its ends in suitable bushings 41, carried by frame members 10 and 11.

As a value selection lever 34 is rocked from the fullline or position shown in FIG. 1, it may be set in any one of nine value representative positions, such as the 9 or extreme position indicated by phantom line in FIG. 1. Each value setting of a lever 34 is determined by a notch of a toothed detent rack 45 formed along the upper edge of a rectangular opening 46 of a plate 47. Each of the plates 47 is secured at its ends in respective transverse auxiliary frame members 48 and 49, which, in turn, are secured at each end in parallel relationship in frame members 10 and 11. The plates 47 are ordinally spaced in parallel relationship, one such plate being positioned adjacent each of the selection levers 34. The notches of the detent rack 45 of each plate 47 are disposed in a horizontal plane at a right angle to a radially extended line of shaft 35, i.e., in a chordal plane of an arc struck about the axis of shaft 35. Each of the notches of the toothed rack 45 is representative of a value as indicated 119: the Arabic numerals 0 and 1 to 9, as seen in As each lever 34 is moved to a value representative position, a roller 50 carried by the lever intermediate its ends, engages in the selected notch of the toothed rack 45. Each of the levers 34 is yieldably retained in each adjusted position thereof by means of a relatively strong spring 51 associated therewith and supported at its lower end on a pin 52 secured on the corresponding lever adjacent the lower end thereof. At its other end, each spring 51 is secured in a suitable aperture in a spring support ring 53 mounted on a shaft 54, which extends axially parallel to shaft 35 and is supported at its ends in suitable bushings 55 (FIG. 2) carried by respective frame members 10 and 11. In addition to being axially parallel to the shaft 35, shaft 54 is disposed between the toothed detent racks 45 and shaft 35 on a center line of the shaft 35 perpendicular to the detent racks 45. Shaft 54, in addition to being supported at its ends in the frame members 10 and 11, is also supported along its length in depending lobes 60 of each ordinal plate 47.

Intermediate its ends, each lever 34 is provided with a distended portion 61, projecting laterally each side of the lever in the direction of its motion. A clearance opening 62 is provided in the enlarged portion 61 of each lever 34 to permit rocking of each lever relative to shaft 54.

As a lever 34 is rocked clockwise from the full-line position shown in FIG. 1 to the value position 4 and 5, a progressive endwise movement downwardly is imparted to the lever while the corresponding spring 51 be-* comes tensioned. As the lever 34 continues to be moved from the position to the 9 position, the associated spring 51 biases the lever radially outwardly of shaft 35 as the roller 50 yieldably passes over each tooth of the corresponding rack 45. Upon rocking the lever 34 from the 0 position to the 9 position, roller 50 is moved by angular increments about shaft 35 and along the chordal plane of an arc described about shaft 35. The are extends through the axis of roller 50, in the 0 position of the lever, intersecting the radii at the angular limits of movement of the lever. Therefore, keytop 40 moves in a plane parallel to the top surface of the machine cover 39.

With each step of movement of a value selection lever 34 to a value representative position, an angular increment of rotation is imparted to the corresponding ordinal type wheel and an angular increment of rotation is also imparted to the corresponding ordinal indicator dial 63. At the same time, an increment, or step of movement, is imparted to the corresponding ordinal selection gear 30 along its shaft 31, relative to the stepped toothed drum 32, for registration of the selected value in a register (not shown). In order to impart rotation to the type wheels 17, 18, 19 and/or 20, each of the type wheels carries a pinion 64 enmeshed with a gear segment 65 carried by one arm 66 of a corresponding ordinally arranged threearmed lever 67. Each lever 67 is rockably supported on a shaft 68 secured at its ends in suitable bushings carried by side frame members 10 and 11.

For an incremental, angular adjustment of the indicator dials 63, a gear segment 70 is carried by a second arm 71 of each ordinal three-arm lever 67 and is enmeshed with a corresponding pinion 72 integrally formed on each dial 63. The dials 63 are rotatably supported in an ordinal arrangement on a shaft 74 secured at its ends in bushings 69 carried by frame members 10 and 11 (FIG. 2). The third arm 73 of the three arms of each lever 67 is pivotally connected at 78 to one end of a link 7-9, the other end of which is pivotally supported on the corresponding one of four ordinally arranged levers 80 rockably mounted upon shaft 54.

With each adjustment of a selection lever 34, the associated type wheel is rotated to move the type character corresponding to the value setting of the lever into print position. At the same time, the indicator dial 63 associated with the adjusted selection lever 34 is rotated to visually indicate the value represented by the setting of the lever through a suitable window 81 in the machine cover 39. In order to control the rotation of a type wheel 17, 18, 19 and/or 20 and the corresponding ordinal indicator dial 63, the associated lever 80 is provided at its lower laterally offset end with a pin 82 engaged in an elongated slot 83 extending lengthwise of the corresponding ordinal selection lever 34.

Upon rocking each selection lever 34 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 1) to a value representative position, lever 80 is rocked counter-clockwise to adjust the corresponding type wheel and indicator dial to the print position and value indicating position, respectively, for the selected value. At the same time the corresponding ordinal selection gear 30 is adjusted difierentially relative to the stepped-toothed drum 32 associated therewith to effect registration of the selected value. The adjustment of each selection gear 30 is under control of a slide, similar to slide -84, shown in FIG. 1 supported for endwise movement on a pair of spacers 85 by means of aligned elongated slots 86 in the slide 84 engaging screws 87 threaded into spacers -85. Spacers 85 are riveted or otherwise secured to the surface of a deck plate 88 supported on and secured to auxiliary transverse frame members 48 and 49'. At its right end at 91, each slide 84 is formed over at a right angle and is provided with a yoke engaging in an annular groove 89 in the hub of the associated selection gear 30. Upon endwise adjustment of each slide 84, the formedover end portion 91 moves in a suitable opening in the deck plate 88.

Adjacent one side of each plate 47 is a slot 94 in the deck plate 88 within which the corresponding selection lever 34 is rocked. Adjacent the other side of each plate 47 is a slot 95 in deck plate '88 parallel with plate 47 and slot 94. To control endwise movement of a slide 84, a lug 96 is formed downwardly at a right angle thereto and extends through the corresponding slot 95 in deck plate 88. At its lower end, each lug 96 is provided with a bifurcation within which a pin 97, secured on the upper end of the corresponding lever '80, is engaged. Thus, it becomes apparent that upon adjustment of a value selection lever 34, such as the units of cents lever in FIG. 1, to a selected value setting, the type wheel 17 is rotated to move the selected value type character to print position. At the same time, the corresponding indicator dial 63 is rotated to visually expose the selected value in the window 81 and the corresponding selection gear 30 is dilferentially adjusted to elfect registration of the value. As the lever 34 is rocked clockwise about shaft 35 (FIG. 1) to a position representative of a selected value, roller 50' carried thereby moves over the teeth of the associated detent rack 45 in substantially a horizontal plane causing a reciprocatory motion of the lever against the bias of the associated spring 51. Thus, the detent rack 45 serves as a guide for the corresponding lever 34 to prevent an arcuate movement of the roller 50 thereon about shaft 35, whereby the keytop 40 of the adjusted lever moves in a plane parallel to the top surface of cover 39.

What is claimed is:

1. In a value printing and value registering machine having a type wheel including value type characters thereon adjustable to print position,

gear means differentially settable to elfect registration of a value to be printed by said type wheel,

means for controlling adjustment of said type wheel,

means for adjusting said gear means, and

means for actuating said controlling means and said adjusting means, the combination comprising,

a value selection member rockable about a stationary axis for operating said actuating means and having a manipulable end portion for selectively rocking said member between angular limits to a plurality of value representative positions, said manipulable end portion of said selection member moving in a chordal path during rocking of said selection member between said angular limits, and

means for guiding said manipulable end portion of said selection member along said chordal path.

2. In a device of the character described in claim 1 'Wherein said guiding means comprises a toothed rack disposed in a plane parallel to the path of rocking movement of said selection member and including a tooth space for each value representative position,

said tooth spaces being disposed on a chordal plane defined by said angular limits of the rocking movement of said selection member, and

a retaining means associated with said selection member for selective engagement in said tooth spaces to yieldably retain said selection member in each value representative position.

3. In a device of the character described in claim 2 wherein said retaining means comprises a roller mounted on said selection member, and

means for biasing selection member radially of said axis to yieldably retain said roller in a tooth space of said rack in each adjusted position of said selection member.

4. In a device of the character described in claim 3 wherein said biasing means is a spring.

5. In a device of the character described in claim 3 wherein said value selection member is a lever having an open end slot engaging said stationary axis to enable radial motion of said lever during rocking movement thereof about said axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,935 9/ 1949 Rast 235-101 2,668,494 2/1954 Crosman et a1 23510 1 X 2,672,290 3/1954 Russell 23510l 2,612,104 9/1952 Rouan et a1. 101-91 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner S. A. WAL, Assistant Examiner 

